Nigerian professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has reacted to a viral video showing traders at Banex Plaza in Abuja chanting in support of Peter Obi as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) attempted to campaign in the area.
The footage, which has been circulating on social media, captured traders and marketers at Banex Plaza in Wuse 2 chanting, “Na Peter Obi we want,” as APC members put up campaign banners for President Bola Tinubu.
The incident has generated mixed reactions among Nigerians, with some interpreting the traders’ response as a sign of dissatisfaction with the ruling party, while others argued that the traders were predominantly from Obi’s ethnic group.
Reacting to the video, Utomi said supporters of the former Labour Party presidential candidate, popularly known as Obidients, could not be intimidated.
He described the energy displayed by the traders as extraordinary and expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“One of the beautiful things about Peter Obi is that his supporters are not the kind of people you can intimidate.
“The energy in this video is extraordinary. Nigeria will definitely be OK in 2027,” Utomi wrote on his official X handle.